Conference Revisits Black Arts Movement

Conference Revisits Black Arts Movement

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Northwestern University is taking a closer look at the national Black Arts Movement today. Leaders from the mid-20th century movement will discuss the impact of their work. Northwestern writer-in-residence Ed Roberson is the conference organizer. He says younger generations can learn firsthand from these pioneers.  

ROBERSON: Those folks paid a tremendous price for the advantages that we have now and I think we need to talk to them and find out what they had to go through.

Roberson says the movement served as a catalyst for other civil rights movements including the women’s and gay rights movements. The Black Arts Movement lead to many African American institutions including, locally, Third World Press.